Dallas Cowboys Blog

Eagles’ Brent Celek: Cowboys tried to use Cover-2 defense against Michael Vick and we were ready

Interested in what the opponent saw from the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night?

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek gave that perspective while joining the “Galloway and Company” radio show Monday on 103.3 (KESN-FM).

But instead of being highly critical after his Eagles manhandled the Cowboys 34-7, Celek said that Philly’s dominance was more about their offense reaching expectations rather than what the Cowboys were doing defensively.

However, he did say that he thought the Cowboys game plan was going to be a little different, but it worked out for his team in the end.

“They do a lot of walking around, they play a few different coverages,” Celek said. “But I think one of the key things is that we were ready for anything.”

Celek also divulged that Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg warned his group that Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has used a Cover-2 defense in the past against quarterback Michael Vick.

“And, man, that’s exactly what they did the whole game,” Celek said. “And we had Cover-2 beaters ready to get after them, and that’s what we did. They tried to take away the outside with our skill guys and we had to work it in the middle of the field. So it was more on Jason [Avant] and I to work it there.”

Ryan took blame for the loss and admitted after the game that [Eagles head coach] Andy Reid “was reading my mail. He kicked my [expletive]. I’ve just got to go back and work harder. I’ve got to be smarter than this.”

Celek noted that the Cowboys tried to blitz and adjust in other ways but with speedy receivers like DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin on the outside, it’s difficult for opposing defenses to keep their safeties anywhere near the line of scrimmage.